The structure of a modern aircraft wing generally includes a main structural component referred to as the wing box that carries the main structural and aerodynamic loadings applied to the wing, as well as functioning to join the wing to the aircraft fuselage. The wing box generally includes at least a front and rear longitudinal spar with a number of lateral ribs connected between the front and rear spars. In addition to the wing box the aircraft wing generally includes deployable aerodynamic devices including the flaps, located along the trailing edge of the wing, and the slats, located along the leading edge of the wing. The function of both the slats and flaps is to alter the aerodynamic properties of the wing, principally to provide additional lift at low speeds, for example during landing and take off of the aircraft. The support and actuating mechanisms for the leading edge slats are typically mounted on a plurality of transverse ribs that extend from the front face of the front spar of the wing box. In a typical arrangement the slat support includes a longitudinal track that can be extended and retracted to deploy and stow the aerodynamic surfaces of the slat. The slat track is supported by a number of support elements connected to adjacent ribs. Two of the requirements that must be met by the track supporting elements are that there must be a mechanism for restraining the slat should one or more of the primary support elements fail and that the track supports function to transfer the lateral loads experienced by the slat track from the slats back to the main wing structure (wing box).
The amount of space required by the slat support elements dictates how far forward the front spar of the wing box can be located within the overall wing structure. It is desirable for the front spar of the wing box to be located as far forward as possible within the wing, since this brings various benefits. For example, the wing box has a greater width which increases the overall strength and efficiency of the wing box, increases the capacity of the internal fuel tank and reduces the moments applied to the wing box from any engine pylons. However, to move the front spar of the wing box forward the space required by the slat support elements must be reduced.